“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”
Fall 2010
NewStory’s Timeline
NewStory Church began as the Edgewater campus of Community Christian Church in the Fall of 2010 when our first pastors, Rich and Dori Gorman, moved to Chicago. NewStory began as an experimental project to discover how churches can be planted with community development as a part of the core work. As Rich Gorman stated at the time, “We don’t just want to be a good church, we want to play a role in cultivating a good neighborhood."
January 2011
Worship services begin on Sunday evenings. The first worship service was held in the Gorman’s apartment and consisted of two people, the pastors. The feeling was that the church always gathers, so even if there’s only two people, we gather and worship. As Dori says, “I preached and Rich led worship. The offering was horrible, but it was a start.” The first gatherings were called “Static Free” and focused on worship and contemplative prayer. Rich claimed, “We assume that God is always speaking and working. So it’s up to us to dial down the static of our lives caused by the hurry, worry and pressure of our lives so that we can discern what God is already doing in and through our lives.”
Spring/Summer 2011
Community partnerships with the 48th Ward Alderman’s Office and other community partners such as the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, All-American Nursing Home, Care For Real, World Relief Chicago, Peterson Garden Project and Andersonville Farmers Market begin to take shape. One of NewStory’s summer traditions, Chill-n-Grills started this spring. We also started #ChalkTheBlock in the early spring of 2011.
September 2011
The Sunday “Static Free” gatherings outgrow the Gorman’s apartment and moves to the Edge Gallery (1610 W. Highland). Over the next few months, the gathering continues to grow, worship leaders join the staff team, and summer interns arrive.
Spring/Summer 2012
Alderman Harry Osterman introduces NewStory leadership to Swift Elementary School. The worship services move to Sunday mornings at Swift Elementary School during the summer of 2012. We officially “launched” on September 9, 2012.
2012 - 2015
God opens doors for the church to deepen in 4 specific justice initiatives: Racial Justice, Mental Health Justice, Education Justice, Environmental Justice. We settle into 3 intentional seasonal rhythms, Fall, Winter/Spring and Summer. Our children’s and student ministries also grow during this time, adding new staff to lead and guide these age groups. Year-long residents also join the staff team to learn more about church planting and community development.
October 2015
Community Edgewater officially re-launches as NewStory Church. Same pastors, same school, same church – but a new name with a renewed vision for joining God in God’s good work in Edgewater, Rogers Park and Uptown. At this time, the vision is summed up by this statement:
We are a vibrant, multi-ethnic, and welcoming community of people who are committed to accepting God’s invitation to write a new story in and through our lives.
November 2016
The first crew of elders is installed. Sam Boyd, Esther Kim, Mike Lueders, Sue Lueders, Bill Hicks become the “Direction and Discernment Team” as the primary role of the elders is to discern God’s leading and direct our steps to follow.
August 2017
Sergio Diaz-Ramos becomes the Associate Pastor leading worship teams. He is only the second full-time paid staff member.
March 2019
In faith, through love, and with unity, Pastors and Elders of NewStory Church unanimously supported the direction as a church family toward full inclusion for our LGBTQ siblings by announcing:
At NewStory Church we welcome all persons and families to participate at all levels of community, this includes serving in ministry, leading on a ministry team, and holding a staff position. NewStory offers full pastoral care to everyone in our congregation regardless of ability, age, race, sex, gender expression or sexuality. This includes, but is not limited to, spiritual counsel, prayer, baptism, weddings, funerals and visitation during illness.
April 2019
Founding pastors, Rich and Dori Gorman, step aside to create room for a new lead pastor. Sergio Diaz-Ramos steps up as the Interim Lead Pastor through the remainder of 2019
February 2020
NewStory makes the decision to adopt a Co-Lead Pastor model and alongside Sergio Diaz-Ramos hire Matt Temple. Shortly after the hire is made the Covid-19 pandemic breaks out and forces NewStory (like so many other churches) to move entirely online. The move to become fully affirming, the exit of the founding pastors, the year-long pastoral search and going into a global pandemic was a lot of change for a church to go through in a short amount of time and took its toll.
April 2020 - August 2021
During the pandemic NewStory meets online for Sunday morning and over zoom for small groups. When the time comes to meet in person again the schools are no longer allowing outside groups to gather in their space so NewStory begins to search for a new space. During this time the leadership board (formerly D&D) at NewStory completely turns over and realizes the toll that all the change have taken. They begin the process of re-imagining who NewStory must be in this new chapter. The current iteration of core values is developed along with a clear design for the leadership structure and the NewStory theological lens. A new resolve to authentically embody the values, structure, and theology is born. During this season the teaching team was also formed to help us better live into our value of diversity.
September 2021 - January 2023
Tasha officially becomes part of the NewStory staff in a part-time capacity. NewStory moves back into in-person gatherings. We lease space from Edgewater Presbyterian Church. The original plan was to meet on Sunday afternoons in the sanctuary, but this arrangement did not allow adequate time for set-up. We tried a Saturday afternoon worship but quickly realized that this was putting too much pressure on volunteers. Eventually, we were given a room on the third floor that could seat about 40-50 people. It would be the perfect transition space for us. In January of 2022, Sergio decided it was time to step away and Tasha stepped in as the new Co-Pastor.
February 2023
NewStory signs a lease with Granville UMC and moves into a shared space covenant that allows us to use the sanctuary and gives us room to grow. On February 12, NewStory officially installs its new Pastoral team, and NewStory enters a new chapter. Our story has not always been easy, but we believe that in the midst of change and transition, we can do hard things. We are grateful to both our Creator as well as those who have worked so hard to keep the dream alive. It is because of them that the story of NewStory continues today and it is our hope that as our stories intersect we find wholeness, healing, and transformation together.